


I Know You

by Lululeigh



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series
Genre: Camping, Comfort, Fear, Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation Spoilers, Huddling For Warmth, Other, Sharing a Bed, Sleepy Cuddles, except it's a tent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:20:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26278573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lululeigh/pseuds/Lululeigh
Summary: You have grown soft, the voice who resides in his head mocks cruelly."Yes, Leigh?"I know, he thinks, brushing the entity to the side.
Relationships: Gunter/Summoner | Eclat | Kiran
Kudos: 7





	I Know You

**Author's Note:**

> It's Gunter and Leigh's S-Support anniversary today (September 6th) and I felt like finishing up this drabble I was working on but had to set aside so I could grieve. It feels good to write for myself again.
> 
> I guess you could consider this as a sequel to [Losing You](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18926734), but here's the context in case you don't want to: Leigh knows Gunter's backstory and that Anankos currently possesses him. They both have feelings for each other so I guess you could say they are dating? If spending time with each other, holding hands, and falling asleep together counts as dating.

No one said the voyage to Nifl, the frozen kingdom buried in snow, would be easy. Although the Order of Heroes thought they had prepared sufficiently in the coming weeks for the long trek to the wintery realm, their present situation proved otherwise. It was only the second day into the journey and already over half of the army looked as though their energy had been drained away by the harsh environment. The Order largely avoided any knee-deep snowdrifts and hidden ice patches they came across, though their efforts could not stop how the cold wind cut through clothes and armour like paper. Those who belonged to the infantry and armoured classes suffered the greatest losses due to being on their feet all day, the healers working using all their resources to heal frozen limbs. For certain heroes, the scenery recalls memories of previous chilly campaigns, while for others it reminds them of home. The commanders realize the worst of the situation when some troupes nearly collapse from the cold, the Summoner among them. Alfonse decides they should set up camp for the night and that the leaders need to reassess their next course of action.

They schedule Gunter as part of the first lookout shift for the night; the veteran knight hardly minds as it means that he will not have to wake-up and disturb his slumber. The wind whistles mercilessly for the entirety of the watch, and he is beyond grateful when Titania comes to relieve him of his position. After removing his armour and ensuring that his steed is safe for the night, he dutifully reports to those who guard the camp's fire that he witnessed nothing unusual during his patrols. Believing his presence is no longer needed, he prepares to turn on his heel and return to his designated tent when he is stopped in his snow trodden tracks by Alfonse calling his name.

"Gunter! One last request for you. Since it's on the way, can you bring these blankets to our Summoner's tent? They're finding the weather here quite unbearable."

His mind freezes when he hears the words leave the young prince’s mouth and his body forgets that he should acknowledge what was said. Eventually giving a curt nod, he takes the blankets from Alfonse and walks off into the surrounding darkness of the camp, leaving the safety of the crackling fire behind. His orders have awoken the sinister beast who dwells in the alcoves of his mind until it recognizes an opportune moment to strike. Gunter worries at his lip as he tries to ignore the unpleasant ideas that flood his every thought. If he were still wearing his gauntlets, he surely would have torn the fabric to shreds with the strength he grips the blankets with.

Though the wind is loud as it bitterly cuts through the air, Gunter can still make out the quiet chattering of teeth as he stands a mere arm’s length away from the Summoner’s tent. He is anxious, debating with himself over how he will act depending on if Leigh is awake or asleep. Sleeping would be the more preferable scenario of the two, as he can easily lay the blankets over them and leave without being noticed.

_ If they’re asleep, it’ll be easier to dispose of them. _

He kicks a chunk of frozen snow across the plain in an attempt to rid himself of the awful scheme. His eyes sting from being out in the cold for so long, and he knows that the more he prolongs this, the more those disturbing thoughts will torment him.

“Best to get this over with so that I can get some rest,” he murmurs to himself.

The old knight crosses his fingers, unzips the entrance to the tent, and takes a small peek inside. He is in luck and releases the breath he had been holding at the sight of the sleeping Summoner before him.

Gunter enters the tent as quietly as he can, though admittedly it is quite a challenge. He tiptoes carefully around Leigh’s sleeping form at first but opts to kneel to avoid rustling the fabric of the tent above him. They look like a compact ball coiled so tightly in on themself under their blanket. Gunter has never seen them so vulnerable before.

_ This is a good opportunity to strike. _

He curses under his breath. The serenity of the moment is lost as the perturbing suggestions run rampant.

_ Unfortunate that there’s no weapon here that we could use. Strangulation seems too peaceful of a way for them to go. _

Gunter wishes this would stop, to return to his life before becoming possessed. After years of experiencing Anankos’ malicious voice residing in his head, the veteran knight had forgotten what it was like to be left alone to enjoy the small quiet moments.

The sound of Leigh’s teeth chattering draws him back to the present, putting a temporary end to the spiteful murmurs.

_ Right _ , he is here to deliver the extra blankets. The chattering of their teeth ceases as soon as he places the heavy fabric over their body and he delicately tucks the blankets around them to prevent any heat from escaping. He should have warned them better about how low the temperature could drop when camping outside in a cold environment. From the few times he held their hand, he knew very well that their body temperature ran colder than most.

He is thinking about it now, all of the quick and affectionate touches they have shared in the recent months. A small smile finds its way to his lips as he recounts the first time they kissed. He still remembers the smile that adorned their face after that. Despite knowing the truth of his situation, Leigh has never once shown any fear.

_ Rather than dispose of the Summoner, perhaps I could make use of them too. _

Between recalling the memories and Anankos’ resurgence, he misses Leigh shuffling under the blankets as they roll over and bump into his knees. It is enough to stir them from their slumber.

“Mm, who…?” Silence enshrouds the small space and Gunter  _ knows _ that Leigh is seconds away from realizing that he is  _ there _ , with  _ them _ , in  _ their tent _ . “...Gunter?”

He waits a moment and quietly hopes that they will fall back asleep, providing him with a chance to leave. His opportunity never comes though, as the Summoner continues to look up at him with their sleep ridden eyes. He must answer, or else face the consequence of being perceived as rude.

“Yes, it is I, Leigh.”

“What are you doing here?”

“You were cold, and I was asked to bring you a few more blankets after returning from my patrol.” He pauses and pats the fabric under his hand. “Warmer now?”

“Yes, thank you.” There is a soft smile on their lips as they reply and he has to restrain himself from wanting to reach out and stroke their cheek.

_ This is your chance to leave before something bad has the possibility of arising _ , his conscious echoes in his head.

“Good. Well, I should be off. Tomorrow will demand all of our strength once again.”

"W-wait!"

Leigh moves quickly, despite just having awoken. They maneuver their hand out from under the heavy blankets and grab onto his hand before he can rise from his knees. Although the voice in the back of his mind urges him to pull away, he cannot bear to hurt their feelings in such a manner. 

_ You have grown soft _ , the voice who resides in his head mocks cruelly.

"Yes, Leigh?"

_ I know _ , he thinks, brushing the entity to the side.

"Will you stay here with me? For the night?"

He should leave,  _ immediately _ . For starters, an old man like himself has no right in sharing a tent with the Summoner. Sure, the two of them have been spending a lot of time together as of late. Leigh has even admitted to the fact that they have feelings for him; while he is flattered, the reasonable part of his brain that has not been consumed with his revenge tells him that he should not trust himself with them alone, least of all at night. He needs to march back to where all the other heroes' tents are and try to forget that he ever thought about sharing a tent with Leigh.

"..."

Despite it all—the worry, the guilt, and the fear—there is a part of him that wants to stay. Leigh has seen him at his best and his worst; would they invite him to stay the night if they did not trust him?

"All right." Gunter concedes and allows himself to be pulled down to the ground. 

He wants to preserve the smile on Leigh's face forever; it warms his aching heart and soothes his lonely soul in ways he has not experienced  _ in years _ . Leigh lets go of his hand and untucks the blankets so that Gunter can lay down beside them and make himself comfortable. It is not a second later that Leigh cuddles up beside him and they happily hum as he drapes his right arm over their waist to draw them closer together.

"Comfortable?"

He can feel a small nod against his chest and while he cannot see it, he knows there is still a smile on their face.

" _ Always. _ "

Minutes do not even have the opportunity to pass before they are both sound asleep. The guilt eats away at Gunter, his worry spiralling out of control as he forces himself to stay awake for as long as he can muster. He does not know why that evil desire is so vocal in his mind today but the gruesome ideas it whispers make him wonder if staying was the worst decision he had ever made since he had started to become closer to Leigh. Gunter holds them a little tighter—protectively, and not enough to hurt—and prays to whatever higher power they have in this land that he does not awake to his hands around Leigh’s throat, or worse, their blood on his hands. His plea goes unfinished as he succumbs to his exhaustion. The wind intimidatingly howls around them, ceaselessly continuing its attack on the small tent for the remainder of the night.

Despite sleeping soundly for the entire night due to exhaustion, the bright sunlight of the morning still manages to shine directly onto Leigh’s face and causes them to wake.  _ Reason number one to despise camping _ , Leigh thinks as they wearily open their eyes,  _ no blackout curtains _ . They lie there for a long while and contemplate if they should go back to sleep or get up for the day. It is only when they decide to roll over and ignore the sounds from outside that they realize they  _ cannot _ move, trapped between strong arms and a board chest.  _ Gunter’s chest _ , they realize, cheeks burning hot as they wiggle a bit closer.

In their groggy morning state, they had forgotten that they had asked him to stay the night and had also fallen asleep without thanking him. Leigh sighs, pressing their nose against his chest. They were grateful he agreed as being alone in the darkness of an unknown land for merely a few hours had left them frightened.

Still, their selfishness nags at them for being so needy, knowing very well how much danger they were in should the worst scenario come to fruition. What would the other heroes say if they had been discovered dead that morning? Would they call their Summoner careless? Foolish, even? Leigh tightens their grip on the fabric of Gunter’s shirt and inhales deeply in an attempt to calm their anxious mind. Gunter still sleeps peacefully beside them. They listen to his little snores contently as they feel his heart beating in his chest.  


_ There are many sources of fear in this world _ , Leigh thinks as they close their eyes once more, hoping to rest a bit longer before recommencing their journey to Nifl. Perhaps they would ask Gunter if they could ride with him to save their poor boots and feet.

_ My possible death by his hands is one end I do not fear at all. _

**Author's Note:**

> this fic may have started off as "huddle for warmth" because I'm genuinely a very cold person (temperature wise) but then I thought.........why not add feelings? as well as angst? we all love angst here.
> 
> thank you for reading! who knows when I'll update next since I'm starting to write my thesis.


End file.
